Heal Naturally – Responsible Natural Health Info

Ginseng Leaf and Oil Proves to be Antibiotic and Anticancer

Ginseng root – Panax in particular – has a long tradition of healing among ancient medicines, including Ayurveda, Kampo and Chinese Medicine. But the leaves of the Panax ginseng plant provide their own array of medicinal effects – many not found in the root.

Why? Because plants produce biochemicals in different parts of their physiology for different purposes. For example, plants produce many antibacterial biochemicals in order to prevent bacteria from gobbling up their leaves. And while the roots may also produce antibacterial biochemicals, those biochemicals will differ from those produced in the leaves because the bacteria within the soil are different than airborne bacteria.

This of course is only one example – plants produce a myriad of biochemicals to protect themselves from different invasions or diseases.

Multitude of biochemicals in Panax ginseng leaves

Case in point is Panax ginseng leaves and their essential oils. Research has now found that the essential oils of the Panax ginseng leaves contain at least 54 different biochemicals. These include several ginsenosides, beta-farnesene, phytol and many others. Medicinal biochemicals called terpenoids composed 21 percent of the essential oil.

Panax anticancer against multiple types

Researchers have tested the essential oil and many of these medicinal components against a variety of cancer cell lines. This has found that the essential oil from Panax ginseng leaves will knock out cervical cancer cells, lung cancer cells, breast cancer cells, colon cancer cells, stomach cancer cells and skin cancer cells. (The medical term for “knock out” is “cytotoxic” – which means to kill the cell.)

Furthermore, this cytotoxicity against cancer cells has been found to be dose-dependent, the gold standard for associating treatment.

Panax also antibacterial and free radical scavenger

Panax ginseng leaf has also been found to be antibiotic (antibacterial) against several types of lethal bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.

Panax ginseng leaf and its essential oil has also been found to be a decent free radical neutralizer. While many plants and their phytochemicals provide this mechanism, this ability in Panax is notable because of the other medicinal properties of the plant.

Other research has shown that Panax ginseng leaves contain dammarane triterpenes, which have been shown to activate SIRT1 enzymes, which have been shown to modulate gene expression. More specifically, SIRT1-NAD/NADH – specifically stimulated by Panax leaves, are involved in anti-aging processes and tumor prevention.

Yet another study, from Korea’s Kyung Hee University, found that Panax ginseng leaves produce an enzyme that changes DNA called 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR). This is produced from one of Panax’ ginsenoside phytochemicals.

Consuming Panax ginseng leaves

A traditional manner of Panax ginseng consumption – something easily followed today – is to simply eat a leaf or leaf section of the plant every day. The Panax ginseng plant can easily be grown in the garden or in a pot. Panax grows well in most mild environments given good soil and water, and will survive both indoors and out of doors.

Panax essential oils are also readily available, as are ground leaf supplements.

Case Adams is a California Naturopath with a PhD in Natural Health Sciences, and Board Certified Alternative Medicine Practitioner. He has authored 26 books on natural healing strategies. “My journey into writing about alternative medicine began about 9:30 one evening after I finished with a patient at the clinic I practiced at over a decade ago. I had just spent the last two hours explaining how diet, sleep and other lifestyle choices create health problems and how changes in these, along with certain herbal medicines and other natural strategies can radically yet safely turn ones health around. As I drove home that night, I realized I needed to get this knowledge out to more people. So I began writing about health with a mission to reach those who desperately need this information. The strategies in my books and articles are backed by scientific evidence along with wisdom handed down through traditional medicines for thousands of years.”